globallockytoo wrote:it'd be smarter to use a system that cannot be picked easily or the master key determined easily, but cost is the underlying factor.
Another factor to consider is that usually mailbox locks being outside become heavily exposed to weather and eventually stop working. I don't think it's economically viable to replace a Bilock cam lock every few years...
realistically speaking, of course, if you are really concerned about protecting your mail, you arent going to do so using a wafer lock.
Yes, but most determined thieves wont pick locks.
What these thieves do is usually go around apartment blocks where the mailboxes are stacked up in one location. They then use a master key to open all of the locks systematically and dump it in a bag. They later sort the stolen mail at home and duly commit identity theft crimes.
The thieves aren't going to spend 1-2 minutes picking the lock, which in itself may be difficult because most mailbox locks are hardened due to weather exposure, and open 200 mailboxes in that matter when they can just use a master key and open the lock in a matter of seconds and sweep the whole lot of mailboxes in less than 20 minutes. Moreoever, the mailboxes are usually located in a public location where a person passing by could see them.
All in all, having a non MKed mailbox lock, here in Australia at least, considerably decreases the probability of mail theft.
After reading this I went to take a peek and the mail box bank for my mail has an Abloy, but either way(and I won't say impossible here)it is highly improbable that someone would ever be able to pick a Medeco lock on a mailbox bank in a period of time sufficiently short enough to go un-noticed. And because someone made plastic keys from pictures of keys doesn't change that. As for my personal mailbox its a 5-pin pin tumbler anybody who would like to steal my bills is welcome to them 